New Pro League May Be Glut On The Market

A Chicago businessman Thursday will announce plans for a U.S. professional outdoor soccer league that could be in conflict with a similar league being planned by the United States Soccer Federation.

Jim Paglia, who once headed the effort that made Chicago a site for the 1994 World Cup, now hopes to capitalize on the exposure the world championship tournament will give soccer in this country.

Paglia's plans include 12 franchises in 20,000-seat stadiums to be built in primarily suburban areas of top 20 urban markets, including Chicago. His league would start in the spring or summer of 1995.

The USSF, soccer's governing body in the United States, will present to the international soccer federation (FIFA) in December its plans for a league with 10 to 12 franchises that would also start in mid-1995. The creation of such a league was a virtual condition of FIFA's awarding the 1994 World Cup to the USSF.

"It is not our intention to challenge anyone or cause conflict, but there may be some," Paglia said. "We want them (the USSF) to have input, but we have sound business plans, and we are going to go forward, whether they like it or not."

Paglia's plans include building stadiums in or near at least six of the nine World Cup cities. The stadiums and the league would be part of what he called an integrated entertainment complex and marketing venture. The entire operation would be managed by Entertainment Destination Enterprises, a 2-year-old company Paglia formed with seven other people for this purpose.

"Competition is a wonderful thing, but I hope we don't shoot ourselves and the sport in the foot by competing," said USSF Executive Director Hank Steinbrecher.

"They haven't come to us about anything, and sooner or later they will have to. The bottom line is that the USSF is the congressionally mandated and internationally recognized governing body of the sport in this country, and all players and referees have to be registered with us."

Paglia, also president of Tassani Communications, said he talked about his plans during a May soccer task force meeting attended by USSF President Alan Rotherberg.

"Alan told me I needed to come to Los Angeles (World Cup headquarters) to tell them all I was doing," Paglia said. "I told him I might do that if he was willing to share parts of the USSF's feasilbility study on pro soccer. They did not want to divulge any details of their plans."

Paglia said a USSF official had challenged his ability to acquire any U.S. players.

"We'll be competitive," Paglia said.

The startup costs for his league include a three-year budget of $480 million for stadium construction, league operations and team operations. Most of that ($300 million) would be for the 12 stadiums, each with 20,000 seats and 100 skyboxes of 12 seats apiece.

Paglia said he had no signed agreements with corporate sponsors but enough serious interest to announce his plans.